Technical were can i get pistons for a 331 hemi

hello all i'm going threw my first early hemi rebuild the block is currently at a shop and the cylinders are getting boring hopefully soon does anyone know if they make higher compression pistons for a 331 hemi i checked with hot heads and the only offer for 392 blocks and i'd rather not bore that much i'm only planning to go 30/40 over the block is a 53 Chrysler thanks a headed !

 

I'd like the shop to have the pistons in their hands before finishing the cylinders.

 

We offer pistons.... For most every engine and combinations

 

This is the only correct way to have your block bored,,get your pistons in hand before boring begins..
new pistons need to be miked for proper clearence

 

Egge has them too. Yes, Have the pistons before hand for proper clearancing.

 

http://www.venolia.com/
mine came from here many moons ago
X2 on needing pistons before finishing cylinders

 

I would be suspect of a machine shop that doesn't know where to get pistons.

 

i dropped the short block off yesterday there gonna mic everything tomorrow and ill have pistons sent there before they cut i was just trying to find out if i had any alternatives before i order.. hot heads has 30-60 over cast pistons for 331s but they're low compression not try to build a race car just something upgraded from stock

 

Send a PM to 73rr here on the HAMB, he will know.

 

I am in the same boat as CJ Roy. With all the early Hemis being built I was hoping there was a cast piston that would bump up compression on my 331. I know I can go get custom forged pistons made. My machine shop knows that route, too. My build does not require that kind of slug.

I checked Scooter McRad's comprehensive Hemi thread but most piston discussion was about 392's.

 

You the CJ Roy from Texas??

 

no i'm the CJ Roy from Connecticut

 

Did you check out Egge Machine Co. (Calif.)

 

I would take Ross pistons over Egge any day. Egge seems to specialize in selling parts to restorers who drive their cars 100 feet on and off a trailer and call it a day. Drivers who use their cars report quality problems. This was several years ago so they may have fixed whatever was wrong, but they did sell a lot of dud pistons at one time.

 

I only mentioned Egge Machine because OP was not building a race engine, or I would have pointed him to someone like Arias. I have no personal experience with Egge or Ross, so don't have a price comparo.

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Hot Heads. I have always bought my parts thru them.......1-392, 1- 291 DeSoto w/ Ross 10:1, and 1-354 w/ 9.25:1. Bob Walker's a good guy.

Egge only makes stock replacement pistons.

 

The OP did, in his first post. Seems he could get no joy there

 

Oops! Oh well, I have been dealing with them since 1998 and have found them helpful. Bob also used a "swap meet" that I had on my hemi homepage at the time as a model for his Swap Meet (his is much better).

 

Hot Heads has a great reputation but only offers $850 Ross Racing pistons of you want to run, say, a 10:1 331

 

JE or Diamond will make anything you want. They will send you a pattern kit to model your combustion chamber if you want to maximize static compression. Usually less than $1000 with pins.I'm doing a Dodge 315, same issue with off the rack stuff you're finding.

 

The only cast pistons available for the EarlyHemi will be in the OEM c/r. One exception if for the 392.
Also consider that most, if not all, of the castings will not make the advertised c/r. If you want more c/r then the only option is a forging.
Yes, like other vendors, we offer forgings (thanks for the nod DDDenny) an can usually beat the pants off of the big guys on prices but they are still not cheap. You truly do get what you pay for! Also, consider the total cost of the rebuild and is another $400 really that big of issue for a custom piston?
No, we do not stock any forgings, waaaay too many variables. These are custom, made for you.

.

 

Hear! Hear!

 

I'm going thru the same thing for a 354, the cost of doing pistons make me think of going to a 392, KB offers hyperEuretic (dunno about the speeling there) for them. Its' pitiful that the 331 & 354 junk cast pistons are nearly $500 for a set, I'm going with venola.
I'll pass along, if you need valves go to SI out of California, they fixed me up with stainless for under $200

 

The KB 392 sets are also in the $500 range and it is still a fairly heavy casting. Even a cheap 392 will be 2-3 times the cost of a 354 so spend a few extra bucks on forgings for the 354. If you really need the additional inches you can stuff a 392 crank in your 354 block.....it's just money....

.

 

thanks for all the replies just to clear up the guys at hot heads are great they have helped alot with info and parts must of my motor is from hot heads they just don't offer any pistons other then cast low compression 30-60 over pistons for 331 block

 

I looked at an old PAW catalog today. They listed "stock" pistons for a 354 that were 9:1... an over bored 331 could use them but I was looking for 10:1 at least. 73rr's advice seals the deal for me, too.

 

you might find a NOS set of Jahn's on EBay with higher C/R, but are scarce. As was said the OEM/stock replacement C/Rs are often on the optimistic side

 

i ended up ordering a set from hotheads i guess they one up from stock had them shipped to engine builder they arrived in an egge box lol engine builder said they look good bob at hotheads says they're good so ill give them a shot if i blow it again i'll treat myself to some ross pistons and H beam rods

 

Thanks for the followup, it looks like I'll be going with Venola. We're focusing on the heads now, block and rotating assmbly in a couple weeks,

 

Isn't Jahns still in business??

What do they supply?

pdq67